THE MISCALCULATION OF SENDING IRISH TROOPS TO CHAD

iRISH NEUTRALITY AND ITS HISTORY WITH THE un OVER 50 YRS HAVE BEEN PUT IN JEOPARDY BY THIS ILLCONCEIVED MISSION
IRELAND NEVER HAD A COLONIAL INTEREST IN AFRICA.
WE NOW FIGHT TO PROTECT DISPLACED PERSONS BY UNOTHRODOX MILITIA BESIDE THE FRENCH WHO WERE A COLONIAL POWER IN THE REGION.
WE HAVE RECENTLY BEEN UNABLE TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT SUCPOR TO ENABLE A MEDICINS SANS FRONTIER MISSION CONTINUE THEIR WORKS OF MERCY IN THE REGION .
THE INITIATIVE WAS M GROSS MISCALCULATION.

Submitted:Oct 4, 2008
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IRISH TROOPS DEPLOYMENT WITH EUfor

EUFor- Irish contribution - Chad Mission

Of all the Eu countries , we have least interest in engaging in a
EU military mission in a post colonial situation. ; The French
have colonial interests in Chad ; the Chinese have more immediate
economic interests in Sudan , with their ever increasing thirst
for oil . We have no colonial interest anywhere. We just emerged
from British colonialism , and some would argue - not quite
completely To be seen now to prop a post colonial regimen by
sending in Irish troops is a gross error. We have served with
distinction from the Congo to the Lebanon , East Timor Namibia ,
Liberia etc.
To think that the rebels will distinguish between a EU for force
and a French force is naive . It is as much an absurdity to
reason that they will either look at the colour and texture of
the uniform or the flag , than to expect our blue eyes to inure
our troops from enemy fire ; They have declared that they will
treat our troops as enemies - there is no ambiguity on the
rebel's behalf.
Moreover , and more hideously while the French general in charge
of 'Indigenous ' French troops will be based in Chad , the Irish
general in charge of the EUfor troops will be based in
Paris.

* It is ill judged, based on a supercilious notion of military
grandeur associated with our ineffable belief that since our new
found wealth we are are masters of European destiny - that our
hour has come to show Europe that we are indeed worthy to be
considered as equals .
* We seem preoccupied in convincing Europe that we are no longer
the feckless indigents of a time we seem obsessed to erase from
our collective memory.

We have come a long way since our old fashioned cap-in-handedness
; so much the pity on this account.
We are entering a new and dangerous arena by associating
ourselves with former colonialists. We have preserved our
independence and mantained our neutrality often against
adversity;
It was not universally deemed so ultra noble of Ireland to remain
neutral during WW" .
My own late father server with val our as a dentist ; he fought
alongside thousands of honorable Irishmen in El Al AAMain .
They returned home often to face hostility from their countrymen
who choose to see WW2 as being '' England's difficulty is Ireland
's opportunity.
Needless to say these public house bravadoes were too selfish ,
introspective , indulgent to care about the deliverance of Europe
from the Nazi tyranny. Many of them have spawned a generation of
hedonistic idlers , sybarites you couldn't trust to save their
own mother's very honor.These same soulless malcontents had the
temerity to poke derision and scorn at the returning
soldiers.
Houses were marked - cars watched ; movements recorded ;always a
lurking cowl of squinting windows ; an ever present threat of
implicit terrorism.
And Irishmen did this to their brothers.
It was a travesty that so many more Irishmen sacrificed so mush
during WW1 ; in the belief that Ireland would be granted Home
Rule in return for Irish soldiers volunteering to serve in
British regiments.
The sad Irony about WW1 was that it was purportedly all about the
protection of small nations.
Yet here we were on the western reaches of Europe still under
British occupation.
An occupation we were trying for generations trying to be rid
of.
The perfidiousness of Lloyd George wast vastly
underestimated.
Collins saw one way of dealing with oppression and even he was
outmaneuvered by the canny Welshman.
But to return to EUfor ;
We will regret this jingoistic blunder.
Our tears and remorse may come much sooner than any expected
kudos or scintilla of international admiration.
When the first body bags are brought back we might then reflect
on this monstrous miscalculation .